


speak to me (in secret sighs)

by counterheist



Series: Yuuri Week 2017 [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Day 4, Fantasy Racism, Fluff, M/M, Prompt: Music/Dance, Prompt: On Ice, Yuuri Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 15:04:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11626065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/counterheist/pseuds/counterheist
Summary: With a deadly miasma covering the world, the southern seaside village of Hasetsu only thrives because of the caravan it sends in search of Myrrh every year. Yuuri is the son of the village tailor. He is a clavat and a dancer, a sometimes-student of magic.He is the only member of the Hasetsu caravan.





	speak to me (in secret sighs)

Yuuko becomes pregnant in the calm after her third season with the caravan. She tells the elders as soon as she is sure, because the elders put the safety of the village above all else, and because she is dutiful and brave. Winter has begun to finally wane and the sea roils angrily below the cliffs at the edge of the village. The caravan always leaves as soon as the last snowdrop dies; Yuuko isn't giving them much time. She tells them she will be back after another season. Takeshi follows after her, nervous, and offers to keep going without her. When someone dashes over to the alchemery to relay the news, Minako, head of the Okukawa, even offers to come out of retirement.

No one learns what the council ultimately decides.

This is because Yuuri decides for them.

He knows what he has to do. The same day Yuuko sets her sword at the base of the Crystal, Yuuri takes the chalice and the wagon out of storage, and leaves in the middle of the night. Once he is twenty paces from the edge of the village it's not like anyone could stop him anyway; he knows that too. But it's easier for him to leave when the sky is dark and no one is there to watch him or ask him to stay. Or to tell him he has to go.

His is the first lone caravan out of Hasetsu in two generations.

His is not the first caravan that almost doesn’t return.

\---

There are four other wagons already at the crossing when Yuuri arrives. Unsurprising, considering how close they are to Alfitaria, but still disappointing. Yuuri had hoped he had left Hasetsu early enough in the season to collect the easiest drops of Myrrh, the ones least guarded. He’s picked up a lot of useful not-dying skills over the last three Myrrh seasons traveling with only Vicchan for company, and plenty of even more useful swordplay tactics from Yuuko and casting tips from Minako in the months of the calm, but he will always be at a distinct disadvantage while he travels by himself.

The monsters and fiends that gather and around Myrrh Trees are strong and numerous, incapable of pity. Yuuri has seen more than one empty wagon outside the Mine of Cathurgies, hungry Papaopamuses torn free from their harnesses attempting to graze nearby. He’s seen the torn and moldy sets of camping kit tucked away thoughtfully underneath an overhanging branch near the dead town of Tida. Yuuri has never seen any bodies at the places where the Myrrh Trees grow.

He tries not to think about that.

His is the only caravan of one in line for the ferry.

“Where are you headed?” the ferry captain, a cleanshaven clavat maybe Yuuko’s age asks him when it’s finally his turn to be taken across the river. “Off to Alfitaria to find some mercenaries to fill out your caravan?” He licks his lips and steps up closer to where Yuuri is leaning against the side of his wagon.

The river isn’t so wide that Yuuri can’t see the other wagons on the far shore. Distracted by watching them, he misses the ferry captain’s movement and jumps when he turns his head to reply and sees the lack of space between them. “No,” he says, edging away from the contact. “Just filling my chalice.”

The ferry captain makes some kind of joke about filling Yuuri’s chalice. Yuuri doesn’t understand why he would laugh so easily about the only thing stopping Yuuri’s village from fading into the miasma. He averts his eyes and avoids conversation for the rest of their trip across the river, and it’s just as well. Vicchan hides inside the wagon the entire way. Moogles have fantastic instincts; if Vicchan didn’t like the ferry captain then neither does Yuuri.

\---

The Selepation Cave only has one other wagon tied up outside of it when Yuuri approaches it. He’s grateful. Caravans have a strict travel radius outside their home village. It’s not a rule, but everyone has heard the stories of the caravans who have travelled one or two days further and didn’t make it back home before their home crystal began to lose its light. The Selepation Cave is one of the furthest Myrrh Trees from Hasetsu. If Yuuri found it drained of Myrrh by other caravaners he would have had to completely change his route. He would have lost precious time.

“Are you ready, Vicchan?” he asks, tying up his Papaopamus next to the one belonging to the other caravan. They can keep each other company, he thinks. They’re not the ones who will be fighting over drops of Myrrh.

Vicchan bounces the chalice on the top of his head, purple wings on his back beating fast. Vicchan finds traveling exciting and the danger of clearing monsters even more exciting. Yuuri is more hesitant. Oftentimes he finds himself following behind as quickly as he can while Vicchan leads them into caverns full of beasts. In Yuuri’s first two seasons with the caravan, when Yuuko and Takeshi were with him too, they would leave Vicchan behind to stay with the wagon when they went collecting Myrrh.

Since Yuuri now fights by himself he has to bring Vicchan with him. He can only stray so far from the small crystal embedded in the chalice, otherwise he too will succumb to miasma poisoning. Vicchan has learned how to stay close enough for Yuuri to never be in any real danger of miasma poisoning, but he can’t help but feel a thrill of panic whenever Vicchan rushes off ahead. Every child grows up on stories of the terrible things that happen to those who travel through the miasma without a crystal blessed by Myrrh.

\---

Walking inside the Selepation Cave almost feels like walking into a monster’s mouth. The regular blasts of icy wind that escape it sound like breath even if they feel like needles hitting every bit of skin Yuuri doesn’t have covered in protective armor. People say all the wind in the world is born in the Cave, and that all winds return to it. When Yuuri is standing inside it he can believe it.

Aside from the wind and the screams of mindless rage whenever he’s noticed by a nest of monsters, the Cave is very quiet. Almost unnaturally still.

So when someone puts a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and says, “Are you alone?” Yuuri feels very right in casting a Firaga spell in a wide arc around himself and screaming like his breath could summon Myrrh from the air.

When the flames die down he can see another figure patiently standing behind a protection spell. He has a crystal shard wrapped around his wrist and a dented chalice tied to his belt.

He’s a selkie.

“Oh!” Yuuri says, embarrassed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t. You’re. I’m sorry.” He bows, considers kneeling to bow further. Doesn’t, because they are standing on a sheet of ice inside a cave crawling with monsters that want to kill them and Yuuri is a dancer and a sometimes-student of magic, and an amateur swordsman at best. He has to always be ready for a fight otherwise he will lose it. “I’m sorry,” he says again.

The selkie has long silver bangs. He’s wearing a tight black top trimmed with fur. He’s tall. He’s looking at Yuuri like he’s just seen a very neat trick. “Wow!” he says, placing the hand with his crystal against his cheek, “that fire spell was amazing!”

“Th-thank you?”

“I’m not very good at spells. You and I should team up,” the selkie says, smiling brilliantly. “Would you like to?”

\---

Selkies have a reputation.

Well.

All four of the races have their own reputations: Clavats are farmers, soft-cheeked and docile. Lilties are brash and expert fighters. Yukes keep to themselves and know more about magic than anyone else knows about anything else. Selkies are thieves.

Or so they say. There aren’t any selkies in Yuuri’s home village. Hasetsu is mostly populated by clavats like Yuuri, with a handful of lilty families who run a ranch near the fields. The Okukawa clan running the alchemery next to the Crystal are the only yukes. Yuuri has met a few selkies on his travels, of course, because even selkies need Myrrh to replenish their crystals and stay alive, so even selkies travel the world in caravans.

Just. People say selkies also travel the world stealing Myrrh from others.

But people say Yuuri, as a clavat, should be docile. He should wield a sword when he has to fight, even though he finds the magic Master Minako teaches him much more natural. He should never have been impulsive enough to steal the crystal chalice the year before Yuuko had her triplets, should never ever have stolen the chalice again the next year to stop Yuuko and Takeshi from leaving their daughters alone. And again this year.

Yuuri thinks people should mind their own business.

“Yes,” he says to the selkie. “Yes, I would like to.”

\---

The selkie’s name is Viktor. This only becomes an issue on the first night in the cave, after Yuuri has set a Fira spell on a pool of water to keep them warm enough to survive a short rest. The light might attract monsters, but one of them will be awake at all times to deal with it. Viktor requested first watch. _Selkies are thieves_ , Yuuri hears in the voices of the elders. But Yuuri doesn’t have anything worth stealing yet.

“Is Viktor a common name among selkies?” Yuuri asks, wrapping himself up in a spare cloak and holding Vicchan’s puffy body in his arms for warmth.

“Somewhat,” Viktor responds. He’s brushing bits of frost off his cudgel. In the flickering light of Yuuri’s spell his contemplative face almost looks sinister. _Selkies can’t be trusted_. “I’ve known other Viktors.”

“Then,” Yuuri can’t stop himself from asking, “have you met Viktor of Leuda? He’s,” Yuuri really wishes he could stop himself right now, “he’s the best warrior I’ve ever heard of. Have you heard the tales? How he saved the Black Knight Georgi from himself? How he’s brought Myrrh back to Leuda every year since he was fourteen?”

Viktor’s mouth stretches into a thin line. He nods his head gracefully. “People do say such nice things about me,” he says, and what.

\---

The selkie is Viktor.

 _Viktor_.

Vicchan is named after Viktor.

Viktor must _never know_.

\---

The fourth time Yuuri watches Viktor slip on a patch of ice and twist midair into an agile rolling flip to land back on his feet, only to smack his head against a stalactite, he feels the childish admiration he’s held for the Viktor he’s heard of in stories ease away into something much like camaraderie.

And camaraderie with Viktor is, somehow, very easy.

Viktor’s fighting style is quick and his tactical planning skills rival Yuuko’s. He’s not the best listener, but he apologizes freely and earnestly and seems very interested in the stories Yuuri’s willing to tell about his own life, about his family, about Hasetsu. Viktor is very easy to like. He’s even easier to like when he’s not trying to be easy to like.

Yuuri enjoys this.

He’d forgotten how much better it is to caravan with other people, and how lonely it is to fight by yourself.

At least he’s had Vicchan with him, he thinks as Viktor sketches out a plan of attack when they are just one battle away from the Cave’s Myrrh Tree. Viktor hasn’t had anyone.

Lost in thought, he brushes away a clump of ice that had gotten stuck to the hair on the top of Viktor’s head. It must have been a close call with one of Yuuri’s Blizzard spells from earlier when they were surprised by a flock of Electric Jellyfish.

“…and I will… support you… from…” Viktor’s speech fades away to a whisper.

Around them, the Cave breathes the beginnings of all the winds in the world.

In.

Out.

 _Oh_.

\---

The Myrrh Tree only gives one drop of Myrrh at a time. Viktor insists Yuuri take it, since Yuuri struck the killing blow against the Cave Worm guarding it.

There isn’t enough time for them to travel to six different Myrrh Trees together to gather enough Myrrh to support two chalices.

\---

“I don’t have a wagon,” Viktor says as they exit the Cave. He points to the Papaopamus and supplies piled up next to Yuuri’s own. “That was here when I got here.”

The implication sinks in.

There isn’t enough time for them to travel together.

They have separate destinations at the end of the Myrrh season.

They continue to travel together anyway.

\---

Takeshi is the first person to greet Yuuri when he sets foot back into Hasetsu’s protective barrier. He has one of his daughters napping in a sling on his back. His eyes have the dark circles of a father of three infants, but otherwise he looks happy. He looks alive, which is enough for Yuuri.

“Who’s your friend?” he asks, politely curious. “Yuuko is down at the mill with our other two. She’ll be thrilled you’re back already. So much sooner this year, too!”

Yuuri squeezes Viktor’s hand tightly with his own.

“Yes,” he nods. “It helped that I wasn’t on my own. Viktor was there to support me.”

“Viktor, huh?” Takeshi looks Viktor over, up and down. “You know, my wife is a real big fan of a guy named Viktor.”

\---

Every Myrrh season ends with the ceremony transferring the collected Myrrh from the crystal chalice to the enormous protective crystal in the center of the village. The village elders give a speech, traditionally about protecting the village and life and hope. More recently their speeches have been about not stealing the chalice in the middle of the night. The Okukawa clan sets up a bonfire, and a communal feast is piled up on long wooden tables at the edge of the town square. Everyone goes to the ceremony. And, after the speeches and between all the food, everyone dances around the crystal and enjoys the vibrant feeling of knowing they will be safe for another year to come.

Yuuri’s favorite part of the year is the ceremony, when he can dance with his family and his friends.

This year he dances with Viktor too.

\---

“What about Leuda?” he asks later that night after the celebrations have worn down. The summer has faded from its peak, but it’s still warm enough to sleep outside, underneath the stars. Yuuri gets used to sleeping outside when he travels; it can be difficult to get back into the motions of being the tailor’s son, staying in a building all day except for when there are errands to run.

“Leuda will be fine,” Viktor sighs against the top of Yuuri’s head.

That is something Yuuri has gotten used to as well: sleeping stretched out on top of Viktor, his arms around Viktor’s chest, his head tucked under Viktor’s neck, his body thrown over Viktor’s body as if to protect Viktor from the monsters that surrounded them. It started in the Selepation Cave, which was cold, possibly too cold to sleep alone, maybe. It continued in the Fields of Fum, where the inn was too full for a caravan with a selkie.

“How?” Yuuri asks. They found a spot to curl up behind the crystal, away from the other revelers. He still whispers. This isn’t a conversation for more than breath.

“Their caravan will take care of them,” Viktor says. “I wasn’t in it this year.”

“You…?!” Yuuri lifts his head to see what expression Viktor has on his face. If it’s neutral, or hurt, or carefully, _carefully_ pleasant.

Viktor leans up to kiss Yuuri on his nose, then his cheek, then his lips.

“Don’t worry about Leuda.” He runs his quick fingers up and down Yuuri’s back. “You should worry about Hasetsu. Hasetsu is home.”

\---

Leuda, as Yuuri and Viktor find out the next year on their way to the Lynari Desert, is doing fine.

Their caravan took care of them.

Hand in hand, Yuuri and Viktor focus on taking care of Hasetsu, and each other.

**Author's Note:**

> How come the Hasetsu elders don’t just lock up the chalice better? They do. Between Yuuri and Viktor there is one master thief, and it sure isn’t Viktor.
> 
> Also: There was going to be a whole thing linking in the fact that Myrrh is the embodiment of memories that people have lost, and Viktor, and how Viktor has spent time in miasma when he was younger and it fucked him up, and he used to have selkie-typical long hair but cut it off, but planning is hard and I am very tired. Also it's Yuuri Week anyway, I don't feel that bad focusing only on Yuuri's big gay crush.
> 
> Double Also: I learned there is a Yuri in one of the sequel games??? I only ever played the first one and also ran out of time, so I did not invoke him, but if I add to this universe I will see.
> 
> And finally: There is apparently a Crystal Chronicles spinoff called My Life as a Darklord and I haven’t played it, but that’s Yurio. That is Yuri Plisetsky.


End file.
